Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 11 Oct 2018
THE DISCLOSURES TRIBUNAL has found that there was a “campaign of calumny” against Maurice McCabe by former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, that was “actively aided” by his press officer Superintendent David Taylor.
In a clear, punchy style over the course of 400+ pages, Mr Justice Peter Charleton delves into scandals that were laid bare over 100 days of hearings at Dublin Castle.
The Tribunal was tasked with looking into allegations that there had been a smear campaign against McCabe, orchestrated by senior gardaí.
This calumny – the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage a person’s reputation – involved Callinan speaking in the most “derogatory way” about McCabe to two TDs and the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Tribunal found.
It found that Martin Callinan told Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness that McCabe had sexually abused members of his own family.
John McGuinness – who formerly headed the Public Accounts Committee – told the Tribunal that Martin Callinan had made a comment about the “other fella fiddles with kids” in reference to Sergeant Maurice McCabe.
He also said that Callinan told him in the infamous car park meeting that McCabe had sexually abused members of his own family.
Judge Charleton said: “The conversations as described by John McGuinness TD took place.”
In regard to a conversation that journalist Philip Boucher Hayes said took place in RTÉ studios, Charleton found that Callinan denigrated the character of Maurice McCabe.
Boucher Hayes had said that Callinan told him that McCabe had “psychological” and “psychiatric” issues and had done terrible things.
“The evidence establishes that there was a meeting of minds between the two police officers – Taylor and Callinan – as to how Maurice McCabe was to be viewed,” Charleton wrote. “On an overall view of the evidence, this confirms that Commissioner Martin Callinan was not alone in his attempts to denigrate the character of Maurice McCabe. They were acting together.”
Garda response
In a statement this afternoon, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that An Garda Síochána “fully accepts” Charleton’s findings. He said that the report “makes for difficult reading for the organisation, but it is vital that we take it as an opportunity to change how we operate so we provide a professional and ethical service to the public”.
I fully agree with Mr Justice Charleton when he states that the obligation for members of An Garda Síochána is to the truth, society and the vulnerable, and not to the organisation.
Harris said he will be establishing a group to examine Mr Justice Charleton’s findings and to identify the lessons to be learnt and changes to be made.
He also said he welcomes and supports Mr Justice Charleton’s comments about Sergeant McCabe. “I acknowledge the difficult time he and his family have endured and I hope this chapter is drawing to a close,” said Harris. “I will ensure Sergeant McCabe and all Garda personnel referenced in the report receive appropriate supports.”
“I will ensure An Garda Síochána is a safe environment for people to raise issues or concerns. The organisation will improve by having an open and inclusive culture.
Dave Taylor
Mr Justice Peter Charleton savages David Taylor in the report.
Taylor had alleged that he conducted a smear campaign against Maurice McCabe on the say-so of Martin Callinan.
The judge wrote: “It is an utter mystery as to why Commissioner Martin Callinan could have decided to choose Superintendent David Taylor as his press officer. Both of them have given explanations for this decision: that David Taylor was talented, experienced, articulate and so on. He is not. All of this is just plain untrue.”
In one section, the judge accuses Taylor of “daft” evidence. He said:
The Tribunal is convinced that Superintendent David Taylor did more than merely inform some journalists that in the past there had been an investigation into Maurice McCabe and that the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided that there should be no prosecution and that he was consequently embittered. That is all he claims to have done. That is untrue.
Mr Justice Charleton said that he was convinced that Taylor gave a list of journalists “who were never briefed in order to mislead the Tribunal”.
He added: “While the tribunal cannot but regard it as probable that there are other journalists who have decided not to come forward and assist the public inquiry that the tribunal represents, despite having been briefed negatively by him, his attitude to his superior was likely to have been one of bluster and spoof which was eventually seen through.”
In another section, regarding an alleged interaction involving RTÉ journalist Philip Boucher Hayes and Martin Callinan, the Tribunal accuses Taylor of an “obvious deceit” in his evidence.
On the issue of phones that would show evidence of smears against McCabe, Charleton said that Taylor “chose to present a public lie to the people of Ireland”.
“It was enthusiastically taken up,” he wrote. “Furthermore, it cast a pall of pretended deceit over the entire police force. Then no one knew better. Now, they do.”
Nóirín O’Sullivan
In 2015, the O’Higgins Commission of Investigation was set up to look into allegations made by McCabe of wrongdoing and inconsistencies in garda investigations in the Cavan/Monaghan region.
The Tribunal was asked to examine whether Nóirín O’Sullivan relied on false sex abuse allegations to denigrate McCabe at this commission.
Mr Justice Charleton roundly dismissed such a possibility.
“The central query in the term of reference is whether this was done by Commissioner O’Sullivan to discredit him,” he said. “Nothing like that ever happened. In fact, some mistakes were made, but these had nothing whatsoever to do with sexual abuse.
Insofar as mistakes occurred, or were left uncorrected and subsequently should have been corrected in later submissions, these had nothing to do with Commissioner O’Sullivan.
The Tribunal also found that O’Sullivan had “no hand, act or part” in the “campaign of calumny” against McCabe.
Tusla
Charleton was critical of Tusla’s handling of the affair that saw a completely false claim of rape – that had never been made against McCabe – being put on his file.
“A public body, paid for by the taxpayer, has a fundamental duty of self-scrutiny in pursuit of the highest standards,” he said. “The administration of Tusla was sorely lacking in application and in dedication to duty.”
The result of failure to face the facts, of a complete lack of black box thinking that demands to precisely know when an aircraft has gone down why that happened, has been justifiable public disquiet together with a gigantic expenditure of public money.
This happened through not facing up to the problem and not being forthright about mistakes internal to Tusla.
Maurice McCabe
“What has been unnerving about more than 100 days of hearings in this tribunal is that a person who stood up for better standards in our national police force, Sergeant Maurice McCabe, and who exemplified hard work in his own calling, was repulsively denigrated for being no more than a good citizen and police officer,” Charleton wrote in his conclusion.
In investigating the calumny against him, other aspects of our national life have been laid bare. Within the pages of this report are detailed those women and men who have done their work well and who try every day, as police officers, social workers and administrators, to do their best. But not all. Not every person seeks either to uphold the highest standards or to strive for them through daily work.
“The question has to be asked as to why what is best, what demands hard work, is not the calling of every single person who takes on the job of service to Ireland. Worse still is the question of how it is that decent people, of whom Maurice McCabe emerges as a paradigm, are so shamefully treated when rightly they demand that we do better.”
In a statement this afternoon, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan thanked Mr Justice Charleton, and said that his investigation “goes to the heart” of how the gardaí handle allegations of wrongdoing within the force.
He “fully endorses” the vindication of Sergeant Maurice McCabe and said McCabe had done the State a “considerable service”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
“If true, that’s not good.”
Inspired subheading!
Seriously though…. Russian forces are kicking Ukrainian ass these past few days.
Russia opening up the a new front to the south by attacking Mariupol could be the game changer.
The Russians are in Ukraine. No joking Sherlock
Well, from their total inaction, our political leaders clearly believe Putin when he says that there are no Russians there.
How many more people have to die their violent, bloody deaths before somebody west of Kiev notices that Putin has brought war to Europe.
The elephant in the room is the coup itself. The chocolate king and his backers surely cannot be trusted. Why would anybody put Ukraine at their disposal? Didn’t the Russians experience the same thing first hand with Yeltsin who handed over state assets to a variety of oligarchs (something they are still trying to reverse)
There is also the issue, not unrelated , of people like Joe Biden’s son suddenly developing an interest in investing in Ukraine.
And why would Russia be agreeable to the west extending its military capabilities to its border? We have seen in Israel how the whole arms market, and the Cold War/War on Terror that sustains it, is vital to USA business. I wouldn’t be too sure that the USA aren’t creating and exploiting a volatile situation in Ukraine (militarily and economically)
@ Robin Hillard … Robin, there have always been Russians in Ukraine, it’s where Russia has it’s roots
. ” How many more people have to die their violent, bloody deaths ” That sounds like a threat !
No one, except a few neo Nazis, like yourself asked NATO to instigate a coup, it is up to America and NATO to stop murdering people. Why this interest in Russians helping their people in east Ukraine ? America and NATO have openly been helping an illegal coup regime that they installed with the intent of starting war with Russia, they are in no moral position to say anything about Russia or the freedom fighters.
The Ukrainian army is a shambles. The New York Times are saying they have now been completely broken south of Donetsk and are fully retreating if not out right deserting. Only Right Sector and the Donbass battalion seem to be putting up a fight.
Big time.
A lot of units defected en masse to the rebel side in the early days.
They can barely muster 30,000 currently.
Many of these as you said, militias of dubious merit.
In the south, what was up to this week, a rebel free area has been hammered by Russian armour & artillery.
They need some Irish troops in there to keep the peace…..
Lots of Poles out there, mercenaries, haters of all things Russian.
Yeah but mercenaries fight for the money, right? But if they are there because of traditional animosity among Poles towards Russia then it would at least sound more noble a cause.
Most there out if good kid fashioned hatred of the red army, a few for money no doubt.
@ Weslo .. Hopefully they will be caught, NATO mercenaries should never be allowed return home, they will be used again by NATO to start murder and genocide in some other unfortunate country.
Oh, we know what this means, better watch out Vladimir, are you ready for………
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS!!!
Its funny …the West is very quick to bring on sanctions on Valdmir Putin over false flag allegations.
…but they are very slow to bring them on against ISIS….in fact its the opposite…. the West will let them thrive.
http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2014/07/5856/isis-3-million-day-selling-oil-analysts/
This damned US soldiers are every where , they are in about 35 countries at the last count helping Juntas, dictators , military governments kings and despots to stay in power Oh ,sorry its Russian in Ukraine trying to help their fellow Russians that what this report is about
Or israel
Frank, on the contrary. There have been news articles saying that Assad allowed Isis to grow to fight against moderate rebels. Go read up on it.
Oh Jesus Christ Declan, enough is enough from you, you clearly like to lick windows, all you do is come on here to insult and troll people, and when you actually try and be serious, it’s this semi ret@rded bullshit from the US state dept via the Cartoon News Network, please fuhk off.
Ab, sanctions against IS, so we should stop buying their camels or fancy black flags ?
Declan Noonan .. wouldn’t believe that.. Moderate Rebels, ISIS are all the one… US / CIA generated Christian murdering head hacking terrorist group with an agenda to fear monger and divide the middle east.
Glen is a conspiracy expert anti American anti israel. Do us all a favour go and live with IS and don’t come back.
Mick Madden … ISIS, America and Israel all share the same bed….You are hardly going to expect Glen to hop in with them..
http://countercurrentnews.com/2014/06/isis-post-pr-photos-they-took-with-john-mccain/
Indeed, the all to common hypocrite.
Railing against the west no matter how irrational.
If only they would move to the lands they support so vehemently & leave this awful West to us decadent dogs.
Anti-American ?
Business Cat …”would move to the lands they support so vehemently & leave this awful West to us decadent dogs”.
The “West” will not be happy unless it takes over the whole world…
# Greed, Oil, Warmongering, lies, Deception, terrorist supporting..
So Frank.
You are leaving when?
Business Cat .. what’s the point in moving to these countries if the Yanks intend turning them all into wastelands once they are “liberated”.
There are 192 to pick Frankie.
Or are you just going to remain the angry hypocrite.
Pyongyang is lovely in the Autumn…. Off you go!
Where did you pick that figure from?
There is only a hand full of countries left in the world without a Rothschild central bank and these are the countries that the West (Zi0nist puppet nations) have a problem with… Most notably Syria, DPNK IRAN and Cuba.
Choices… choices!
What’s it going to be?
As I said before what’s the point of going to these key countries ie Iran, Syria and Russia most notably if America is going to soon carpet bomb the hell out of them.. Its only a matter of time before Obama drums up another false flag and excuse…. 9/11 all over again (More than likely 7/11 this time)
So you fantasise to pathetically cover your hypocrisy.
At least your consistent in that.
Business.. US Lieutenant General declares Defcon 1 Nuke threat imminent… brings up MH370 and even mentions September 7th… it could be the 9/11 part 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9fN0Nx4Zcs
# Hint of False Flag.
Frank, we all know that you and glen are in the same bed. Do you shine flashlights at each other under the sheets?
Glen, yes you are.
Frank, so you will only go to a country without banks ?
Do you use a bank now? Have you ever thought about not using a bank?
Ask your boss, if you have a job to pay you in cash only. If you are on unemployment assistance just remember that you get more money then in those countries you mentioned.
Ab, I’m not sure if you are serious with your comments or its an extended april fools day gag. If you are serious then you do need urgent medical help
Unfortunately, Stephen, he is serious. He thinks numbers have magical properties. He needs help as soon as possible. His heart is in the right place, but his head is, well, f*cked….
Nikola Tesla also had an obsession with certain numbers Brian, and tbh I find numerology a fascinating subject meself, as do many, you’ve got to admit, the dates and numbers all bear significance somehow, plenty of Masonic stuff involves numbers as well.
Declan Noonan .. The Rothschild Central Banks would have us all micro chipped if they had the chance and that day is coming. .. only a matter of time before their poison infiltrates Iran, Syria, DPNK and Cuba.
Frank,
Conspiracy theories
Over more than two centuries, the Rothschild family has frequently been the subject of conspiracy theories. These theories take differing forms, such as claiming that the family controls the world’s wealth and financial institutions, or encouraged or discouraged wars between governments. Discussing this and similar views, the historian Niall Ferguson wrote, “As we have seen, however, wars tended to hit the price of existing bonds by increasing the risk that a debtor state would fail to meet its interest payments in the event of defeat and losses of territory. By the middle of the 19th century, the Rothschilds had evolved from traders into fund managers, carefully tending to their own vast portfolio of government bonds. Now having made their money, they stood to lose more than they gained from conflict. The Rothschilds had decided the outcome of the Napoleonic Wars by putting their financial weight behind Britain. Now they would sit on the sidelines.Many conspiracy theories about the Rothschild family have been identified as a result of anti-Semitic prejudice reaching back several hundred years, including the era of the Napoleonic wars, and not as a result of valid evidence.
@ Business Cat … I have a much better idea, why not have a regime change in the west ? Like the coup in Ukraine, or allow the people democracy, then you and all the business cats can go live in the country’s our CIA and NATO are destroying.
The west ! Meaning OBAMA the biggest terrorist on the planet trying to start world war 3 .
Because the dollar is about to collapse
And this video should help you to understand Dunners comment in detail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP7L8bw5QF4&list=TL-7I9mSAe5VuHAFfd26h0UROenixOQhR2
ISIS Exposed 100% As A CIA Operation: “The Next Bin Laden is Here” – Don’t Be Fooled
Hmmmm does this clip seem that crazy now eh? (Bar Lenin rising from the dead) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ee465_copy-of-simpsons-soviet-union_fun
It’s one thing for the west to make a claim.
It’s another thing for them to back up the claim …… Talk is cheap Obama show the world the evidence before you drag us all closer to another world war.
It’s true…Crimea is still Ukraine
This one must make the shortlist of “Glens most sh*t posts”.
You, the Putinistas & RT are the only ones still denying the presence of Russian forces in Ukraine.
Even the controlled Russian media are questioning the secret burials of soldiers bodies coming back from Ukraine.
Business cat
All I am asking for is proof !! Why is that do hard to provide ?
What proof do you need?
I think I outlined that in my opining comment
But you didn’t.
We know for those with an agenda, no proof is good enough.
Even the Kremlin say they have forces in Ukraine, they’ve admitted same since April.
But to the unhinged, that in itself isn’t good enough
Oh glen, you are so gullible. I bet you believe in the tooth fairy.
Why did you take a job with the Irish government if you hate the west so much? Why don’t you try living in an environment like Russia, or Iran?
@ Glenn .. That’s asking too much of Barry O’Bananna, evidence ? He can’t even show his birth cert.
We can say the very same about the West having its “troops” in Syria…
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/27/376783/photos-show-isil-executing-syrian-troops/
Listen to your Master Putinistas. Putin again insisted “It’s not our business, it’s Ukraine’s internal business.”
If Putin is not stopped, this war could become everybody’s business.
What are we heading for here Robin? A police world state whereby we are all like the residents of Ferguson? And if we resist it we end up like the people of Gaza? Cop yourself on youngfella!
Try resisting authority in Moscow and see where that gets you Joe! Horse whipped if you’re an ordinary JoeSoap, Polonium poisoning if you’re a political opponent.
2 sides of the same coin Avina, I’m not one fooled by the East west paradigm, they’re both as bad as each other, only Russia doesn’t go to great lengths to hide it.
@ Robin Hillard .. This war is everyone’s business, we have to stop NATO causing trouble in other country’s, we can start by supporting politicians like Putin and refusing to allow NATO to act as a protection racket.
Why can’t the rebels have their own country ? Of course they can’t bring the country in the Russian territory tile that in the terms and have conditions. I can’t see why they won’t give them it, if they want peace let them away you’ll spare a lot of lives on both sides
The Rebels do have their own country.
It’s called Russia.
The bodies of their forces fighting there are gathering in number & the Kremlin is having a hard time keeping it under wraps.
They can all move to Russia. You know, where most of them are from anyways.
What about Odessa ?
What about it?
Why were pro Russians burnt alive, why was there a pregnant woman choked to death and there is even videos showing pro Ukraine troops shooting those who tired escape, if you think I’m lying you can find the videos with ease why didn’t make news here ? Oh if you think it was the pro Russians then why would they have blue and yellow around them
You must be new here..
The Odessa tragedy received extensive coverage.
Odessa has been quiet since thankfully.
We know that the bulk of the pro-Russian forces in the city that day were shipped in from Transdniestria in Moldova.
Loyal the Stars and Stripes won’t get you anywhere. We are neutral so must respect both sides
You don’t appear neutral?
Why not?
I want peace in the region, give them a separate country, in return they won’t suffer come winter and allow Ukraine to be western back so be
Who are “them”?
Hundreds of Russian FSB & Spetnaz agents leading old communist locals is not the thing of nations.
You, I’m sure know that there has never been a political mandate in eastern Ukraine to join Russia.
You will also know that there has never been so much as an opinion poll showing majority support for joining Russia.
I’m sure you know no eastern oblast is close to being majority ethnic Russian.
Unless you have teenager level naievity, you will know that surrendering a landmass bigger than Ireland to Russian special forces solves nothing.
Communism or fascism, oh btw Russia was socialist not communist.
Nearly there kiddo.
You’ll get something right eventually.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union
And America was the land of the free I suppose ?
What has that got to do with the Russian Communist party?
Your stretching to score a point here Steve…… Its not going well.
I honestly just don’t support a country with a system like the NDAA. But you’re just some guy or girl pretending the be a cat. You don’t understand anything other than food or sleep.
I am a cat.
A grey English shorthair with a penchant for sharp suits.
A cat who never tires of teaching kids who think they know the world the facts of life….. and I’m only six years old!
No you’re pretending to be a cat
Stephen, how old are you ?
How old are you ?
Don’t bother with the grumpy aul shite Young Ennis, he’s got issues.
@ Sean O Brian.. Russia began in Kiev, Ukraine should be returned to Russia, many Ukrainians want a free bite of the American dream, let them go there. Peace on Russia’s border is good for the world and loosing a bunch of free loaders is no loss to anyone.
You all realise the Ukraine army are even considering turn back and heading for Kiev the situation ain’t simple
Russia is now sending its SECOND large food convoy to Eastern Ukraine..
Its kind of ironic.. The US sends arms and finance to terrorists and countries like Israel to carry out genocide but Russia is the country ending up getting all the sanctions.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/27/376778/russia-to-send-2nd-aid-convoy-to-ukraine/
I wonder if this one will be 80% empty as well…
Btw, funny how the bodies of dead Russian troops started to show up in Russia (after suffering “heart attacks” apparently) shortly after the last convoy left Ukraine…
@ Avina Laaf, some evidence of this please, or are you just apeing the usual NATO propaganda again.
This is just one link of dozens from a simple google search Chris – I’m sure you could have done it yourself:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/mothers-pressure-russia/1334610.html
Keep trying though.
@ Lavina Laaf … Yes I could have, and chosen a better link, what do you want me to do, send you a link about Ukraine mothers protesting the war ? I’ll pass.
Anyway, Porky has been told autonomy is not on the table anymore, only independence for the east now. Americas and Israel’s new colony is dead in the water, WW 3 averted thanks to Putin, no wonder the west hates himI do think of all the American, Polish and Lithuanian mothers that don’t even know where there sons ar, but that’s war !
More US lies
ok we can all agree that a conflict between nato forces and russian forces could spill out of this, there are many other elements of this armchair warriors across the land can fight over.
remember back at the fine gael ard fheis our fearless leader enda kenny wanted us to join nato. http://www.thejournal.ie/fine-gael-ard-fheis-motions-1336230-Feb2014/
this would end our neutrality and make us a target for a nuclear armed country. like the puppet on a string he is kenny will try again.
this is an area that can be addressed and discussed here with some changes either way. make noise annoy your local td with your views.
have your say